J Nutr Health.  2025 Apr;58(2):179-199. 10.4163/jnh.2025.58.2.179.

Relationship between diet quality and risk factors for diabetes complications in Korean adults with type 2 diabetes: based on the 8th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2019–2021)

• Son YI
• Lee SK

• KMID: 2568109
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4163/jnh.2025.58.2.179

Abstract

Purpose
This study examined the diet quality and its relationship with risk factors for diabetes complications and the related markers in Korean adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D).
Methods
This study analyzed 1,774 adults aged 31–79 years with T2D who participated in the 8th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The diet quality was examined by the Korean Healthy Eating Index (KHEI), and the dependent variables were the risk factors for diabetes complications (overweight/obesity, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, and hypertension) and related markers (HbA1c, fasting plasma glucose [FPG], triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol [HDL-C], systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure). The data were analyzed using SPSS v. 29.0.
Results
The total KHEI scores were Q1 45.80, Q2 58.98, Q3 67.91, and Q4 77.90 in men and Q1 48.96, Q2 60.79, Q3 69.62, and Q4 80.34 in women. The odds ratio [OR]s of the adverse level HDL-C were significant for men in KHEI Q1 (OR, 1.844; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.115–3.052), Q2 (OR, 1.777; 95% CI, 1.085–2.911), and Q3 (OR, 1.982; 95% CI, 1.220–3.220) compared to those in Q4. The KHEI ‘have breakfast’ score was inversely and significantly associated with the adverse level FPG in men (OR, 0.942; 95% CI, 0.891–0.996) and women (OR, 0.935; 95% CI, 0.883–0.990). The ORs of dyslipidemia were significant for men in KHEI Q2 (OR,2.026; 95% CI, 1.179–3.483) and Q3 (OR, 1.817; 95% CI, 1.062–3.110) compared to those in Q4.
Conclusion
A good diet quality can help with the proper control of HDL-C in men with T2D, and having breakfast can help control the FPG level in people with T2D.

Keyword

type 2 diabetes; Healthy Eating Index; diabetes complications